repeat with unerring accuracy not only her brother's best known poems, but also many favourite selections from the other poets. Of her numerous stories for children there was none in more frequent request than a fable which she used to relate illustrative of the multiplied and varied lures which bestrew life's pathway. This fable she first learned by hearing it recited by the poet to his younger brothers and sisters at the fireside of Lochlea during the long winter evenings, and her firm conviction was that it was composed by Burns for the amusement of herself and the other juvenile members of her father's household. As such the little story is here

given at full length, as it discloses Burns's genius in a novel but not the less deeply interesting and fascinating aspect. The story has already appeared in Chambers's Nursery Rhymes of Scotland, as written down by the genial and talented author from Mrs. Begg's recital. It was also published many years ago as a Christmas story for children, with a series of excellent illustrations by "J. B.," a then youthful artist, son of Mrs. Hugh Blackburn ; As Burns's authorship has never been disputed, and no trace of the story has been found outside the Burns family circle, it may now be safely assumed that Mrs. Begg was correct in her conviction. Indeed, the very phraseo

logy of the story seems of itself to

indicate its authorship.

MARRIAGE OF ROBIN REDBREAST AND JENNY WREN.

There was an auld gray Poussie Baudrons, and she gaed awa' down by a water side, and there she saw a wee Robin Redbreast happin' on a brier; and Poussie Baudrons says, "Where's tu gaun, wee Robin ?" And wee Robin says, "I'm gaun awa' to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And Poussie Baudrons says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let you see a bonny white ring round my neck." But wee Robin says, "Na, na! gray Poussie Baudrons; na, na! Ye worry't the wee mousie, but ye'se no worry me." So wee Robin flew awa' till he came to a fail fauld-dike, and there he saw a gray greedy gled sitting. And the gray greedy gled says, "Where's tu gaun, wee Robin ?" And wee Robin says, "I'm gaun awa' to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And gray greedy gled says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let ye see a bonny feather in my

wing." But wee Robin says,

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Na, na! gray

greedy gled; na, na! Ye pookit a' the wee lintie, but ye'se no pook me." So wee Robin flew awa' till he came to the cleuch o' a craig, and there he saw slee Tod Lowrie sitting. And slee Tod Lowrie says, "Where's tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says, "I'm gaun awa to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And slee Tod Lowrie says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll let ye see a bonny spot on the tap o' my tail." But wee Robin says, "Na, na! slee Tod Lowrie ; na, na! Ye worry't the wee lammie, but ye'se no worry me." So wee Robin flew awa' till he came to a bonny burnside, and there he saw a wee callant sitting. And the wee callant says, “Where tu gaun, wee Robin?" And wee Robin says, "I'm gaun awa' to the king to sing him a sang this guid Yule morning." And the wee callant says, "Come here, wee Robin, and I'll gie ye a wheen grand moolins out o' my pooch." But wee Robin says, "Na, na! wee callant; na, na! Ye speldert the gowdspink, but ye'se no spelder me." So wee Robin flew awa' till he came to the king, and there he sat on a winnock sole and sang the king a bonny sang. And the king says to the queen,

"What'll we gie to wee Robin for singing us this bonny sang?" And the queen says to the king, "I think we'll gie him the wee wran to be his wife." So wee Robin and the wee wran were married, and the king and the queen and a' the court danced at the waddin'; syne he flew awa' hame to his ain water side and happit on a brier.

With all her love for children, her treatment of them never failed to be characterised by that sound, practical common sense and discrimination which she invariably exhibited in other affairs of life, and her fondness was never allowed to degenerate into anything like weak or blinded indulgence. On the contrary, she was a strict disciplinarian, and on suitable occasions exercised her motherly and grandmotherly authority with all that rigidity of